Art and Design

Art and Design at Birmingham City University has a rich history dating back to 1843, when the Birmingham Government School of Design was founded as part of a national attempt to improve quality in design.

Our Art courses are located at the School of Art in Margaret Street, which opened in 1885 as the UK’s first public art school. Neighbour to Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery and just a five-minute walk from the Library of Birmingham and Ikon Gallery, the grade II Victorian listed building provides an inspiring space for flourishing artists to create in specialist workshops and studios.

The School of Art is also home to our monthly Night School – an evening of student led exhibitions, open studios, live performances and creative workshops, aimed at widening participation and developing creative communities in Birmingham.

Our Courses

Foundation Year courses

Our Foundation Years offer you an additional year of study to ensure progression to your chosen degree.

Undergraduate courses

Find out about our range of undergraduate courses for Art and Design.

Postgraduate courses

Take a look at the Art and Design postgraduate courses and research degrees available.

Our Research

We have a world-class environment for art-based research with a rich diversity of exhibitions, seminars, conferences, workshops and events animating our Margaret Street building throughout the year.

Explore Art and Design

Facilities

Take a look around the facilities available to you as an Art and Design student at BCU.

Our staff

When you study your degree with us, you will enjoy a wealth of expertise from those in your relevant field.

Our graduates

We're proud to boast an alumni community of more than 200,000 graduates in 120 countries across the world.

Working in industry

If you choose to study at BCU, you will get the chance to work with industry, where you'll gain valuable experience.

Blog

Check out our blog where we share our experiences and visionary ideas with each other, the industry and the world.

Inspired Festival

Inspired Festival is a showcase of work from students from the Faculty of Arts, Design and Media. 

Portfolio Guidance

To support your application you will be asked to submit, or bring in, a portfolio. We've put together a range of useful tips and guidance to help you build one.

Night School

Night School is an evening of student led exhibitions, open studios, live performances and creative workshops, aimed at widening participation and developing creative communities in Birmingham. The event takes place monthly at our School of Art campus on Margaret Street and is open to the general public.

Find out more

News

There is always something happening around the University and our latest news is a great way to find out what's going on.

Go Abroad

Whatever you want to achieve, going abroad will give you the skills, knowledge and experience to make a difference to your future.

Living in Birmingham

Whether you’re moving to Birmingham or you’re a Brummie at heart, there’s so much to student life here to explore, no matter which campus you're based at.

Open Days

The best way to explore what's on offer is to come and see us. Our in-person events provide the perfect opportunity to chat to our staff and students, and check out our state-of-the-art facilities.

More Information

Why study with us?

Find out why you should choose BCU and study with us.

Why choose BCU?

Student information

Learn how to apply for a place on one of our courses, check out our student accommodation and discover more about services that will enable you to gain the most from your studies.

Student information

Placements

You may be required to undertake a placement as part of your course, or offered the opportunity to do so voluntarily during your time at BCU. 

Placements at BCU

Funding

We're here to help you with any questions or problems you may have, both before and during your time as a student here. Fees, funding, budgeting, money management - we can help you get to grips with it all.

Financial information

International

You’ll find a diverse and welcoming environment at Birmingham City University. We’re a modern and dynamic international university, with staff, students and alumni from more than 100 countries. With 30,000 students in the second largest city in the UK.

International study information